Your Inner Star
by l0rdn1hilus
Summary: Something that Dark Danny thought long forsaken, has come back to haunt him. For, no matter who you are, you can't hide from your inner star. [ONESHOT!] Takes place during his imprisonment in Clockwork's lair.


**Your Inner Star**

**A/N: Just some thoughts on Dan "Dark Danny" Phantom, ever since he's been trapped in that cozy little thermos...a little something he thought he'd forsaken forever, comes back to haunt him.**

**ONESHOT!**

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There is a place, in the Ghost Zone, that is lost to time.

It is outside of the streams of fate which decide our paths, and lead them to their final conclusion.

It is home to one of the ancient ghosts, whose powers are unspeakable, their exploits the stuff of legends and fairytales.

Even the likes of Skulker and Technus dare not tread on such hallowed ground.

It is home to Clockwork, Ghost Master of Time.

But now, it plays host to someone else as well.

Someone...who has 'transcended' the flows of time and space, and now resides in the care of one of the most powerful ghosts in existence.

Intentional or otherwise, this outcome was pre-ordained, divined by Clockwork himself as the result of the battle between Danny Phantom, and his Dark side.

The battle has not yet reached its apex, and the lines of fate have yet to be traced back to their ultimate conclusion.

Or, as one unfamiliar with the concepts of time would say "our loose ends haven't been tied up yet"

After all, time is like a unraveling string, the loose ends all eventually tie up to form one, unified, conclusion, which is the endpoint of the string, where all is set right.

But for now, the Ghost Master of Time has far more----important things to do with his day.

And, amidst the endless shifting of Gears and ticking of clocks, an occasional scream is heard.

"You can't keep me in here forever, Clockwork! I've escaped worse and killed all who've stood in my way!"

The Ghost Master of Time turns, to face a rattling thermos, dented from within.

"Yes...well...It appears you are stuck with me for the time being, and...powerful as you are, we cannot change the present."

Clockwork turns, waving his time staff at his temporal terminal, showing a picture of Danny Phantom battling Skulker for what appears to be the 30th time since he first met him.

Clockwork smiles, he knows how that's going to turn out.

He waves his time staff again, and the image changes to an idyllic Amity Park, in a world free from Dan 'Dark Danny' Phantom.

He smiles again.

Much to his dismay, his silent repertoire on the myriad futures of all beings—ghost or otherwise, would soon be interrupted.

Taking a deep breath, Clockwork counted down.

"3"

"2"

"1"

Upon reaching "1", Dark Danny's voice broke the silence.

"Damn you, Clockwork! Let me out of this god-forsaken prison right now! Do it, and I'll give you a quick and painless death, rather than a slow, painful one."

Clockwork sighed, and hung his head, his form shifting to that of and old, wrinkled man.

"Must you make life my life difficult for me?"

Dark Danny just couldn't pass up the chance to celebrate his little victory over Clockwork, the smugness creeping into his voice as he responded.

"Why, yes, I suppose I do."

As Clockwork shifted into his childlike form, he could only sigh.

"In time, 'Dark Danny' all things will reveal themselves, and, sooner or later, will you then come to realize the folly of your misguided actions."

Needless to say, that really ticked Dark Danny off.

"What do you mean? Answer me, Clockwork! Answer – ME!"

As Clockwork shifted back into his Adult form, he grinned, passing on a little laugh.

"What has happened, will give rise to the things that will happen."

Desperation to know grew in his voice, and he shouted back at Clockwork.

"Tell – me – NOW!"

Clockwork chuckled, and disappeared into the shadows of his lair.

Dark Danny grunted, and slumped against the walls of the Fenton thermos.

"What does he mean? What does he know about me that I don't know myself!"

He sighs, punching the walls of the Fenton Thermos, denting it further.

"Maybe you should ask yourself that..."

Now that got Dark Danny's attention.

"What! Who said that? Clockwork? Is that the Observants? Who – is – it!"

The voice responds in a low, hissing whisper.

"Don't you recognize me?"

A moment of silence falls, and then, after a short while, Dark Danny snaps himself back into reality, looking dumbfounded.

"No...it can't be you...you can't be in here with me!"

"Why not?" mocks the little voice in the back of his head.

"I'm a part of you, whether you like it or not."

Fear creeps into Dark Danny's eyes, sweat beading on his forehead.

"I had forsaken my humanity ages ago! You can't be real! YOU – JUST – CAN'T!"

Fear, desperation...it wasn't something Dark Danny was used to, and he didn't like it.

"Ah, but I am. For if I can speak to you, am I not real? I you can hear my voice, am I not real?"

"No...No...NO!"

Fear gives way to anger, and anger gives way to blind rage.

"Get – out – OF – MY – HEAD!"

Letting out a howl of rage, Dark Danny hurls punches, fires energy beams, and even uses his ghostly wail on the thermos.

All in vain, for in the end, it only leaves him exhausted, and with a very deformed prison.

"I am your inner star, 'Dark Danny'."

"I am the conscience that you, no matter what you will ever say or do, can ever silence."

"You may have destroyed Danny Fenton, but you will NEVER destroy Danny Phantom."

The truth dawns upon Dark Danny, and now, he knows.

"I was as much a human as Danny Fenton ever was; my time on Earth showed me that."

"Think...why did you not simply kill Tucker and Sam? Why did you not eliminate Valerie Gray when you had her at your mercy? Why?"

Dark Danny realizes now...what Clockwork meant.

He buries his face in his hands, and mumbles.

"You...it was you all along."

The nagging voice at the back of Dark Danny's head lets out a silent chuckle, and continues.

"When you became one with Vlad Plasmius, his psyche was dominant, and since your humanity was gone, you had no emotions to hold you back."

"I was not gone, but merely shoved aside by the more dominant part of you."

"It took some time, but I returned, eventually."

"And luckily, I did so just in time, in time to save you from killing Sam and Tucker on the spot, or murdering Valerie Gray when you had found her and her father in Fenton works."

"I wasn't able to exercise enough will to save her Father, but I saved her."

"You thought I was gone, so you dismissed my actions as a mistake on your part."

"And for that, I am thankful."

Dark Danny can only stare, transfixed into space.

"The past...influences the future...when I merged with Plasmius, leaving behind my humanity...I became...inhuman, and, at the same time... remained human."

The voice chuckles again.

"Now you understand."

Dark Danny grips the side of his face, and sits down.

"You will NEVER control me, you hear, NEVER!"

The voice only laughs.

"We will see...we will see."

The voice fades into the back of his mind, and is silent.

And all Dark Danny can do now is scream.

And, somewhere, somewhere in his Sanctum, Clockwork smiles.

"Now he knows."

And, Clockwork, for all he is, can't help but stifle a laugh.

"knowing everything sure has its perks."

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END

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